Is freedom of the press dead? FCC to monitor newsrooms around the country

by Meghan

Thursday, Feb 20, 2014 at 11:56 AM EDT

The freedom of the press is under attack. When the group Reporters Without Borders ranked the United States number 46 in the world for press freedom, citing the U.S. government’s investigations into various newsrooms, many gawked. But now it looks like the Obama Administration is looking to further interfere with the freedom of the press – and the American people are starting to take notice.

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“Ask yourself the question: Why isn’t anyone talking about this? This is one of the most disturbing stories I have ever heard in my entire broadcast career,” Glenn said on radio this morning. “The FCC has now decided that they need to monitor the newsrooms. They need to figure out how story selection works in the newsroom.”

According to Fox News, the Federal Communications Commission announced a Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs last year, in hopes to understand the process through which stories are selected, station priorities, content production, populations served, perceived station bias, and perceived percent of news dedicated to each of the “critical information needs” in a community.

It is important to note the FCC only has jurisdiction over the broadcast industry, not cable news or print publications. Networks, local stations, and most radio stations would be subject to evaluation.

“You cannot allow the federal government into your local newsrooms. You cannot allow them to take over the local news. This is not happening in cable yet. But net neutrality is back. And so net neutrality is the way they’re going to get through into the Internet and on to cable,” Glenn explained. “Do you see what’s happening? They are taking over education. They are taking over media, literally – not just co-opting them.”

Fortunately, Americans are not sitting by idly. The American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative legal group, announced a petition on Wednesday demanding: “No government monitors in newsrooms” – and it received 10,000 signatures in the first two hours alone. You can access the petition HERE.

She came to this conclusion while researching her role of Claire Underwood on Netflix’s House of Cards. A “senior person” in the Obama Administration allegedly told her that – much like House of Cards – reporters really do sleep with their D.C. sources.

“It really is. It’s more sleazy than Hollywood,” Glenn agreed. “This is the key: The reporters are sleeping with their sources. When we say the press is in bed with the politicians, we mean the press is in bed with the politicians.”

As Glenn explained, the fundamental transformation of America has in fact occurred, and we are now embroiled in a fight to save what is left of the Constitution.

“It is time to forget the United States of America that you know. It’s not that anymore. It’s not. The fundamental transformation has happened,” Glenn concluded. “In the United States of America that you know, do they put FCC monitors in newsrooms to make sure that they understand how stories are selected and to make sure that those stories are in the public interest? Not in the America I know. I don’t know what this country is. I know what this country used to be. And I know what this country is turning into… The good news is, I think there’s enough of us now who are awake that we may not be able to save the country. But we will save the Constitution.”

Mike Huffstutler

WELL WELL WELL I knew this was going to happen. Obama has been after the Second Amendment since he was a senator. I thought he wound do away with that BEFORE he went after the First Amendment. I must say he surprised me by doing it so soon. I hope all you left wing media people who supported him are sitting up and taking notice.You are in his sights now. I just hope we can survive three more years of his fundamental change to America.

Anonymous

They don’t care: they’ve been telling left-wing lies for decades — why object now? They might put up a sham resistance at first, but in the end there will be no truth allowed on the airways that might harm His Most High Majestic Pinhead-in-White-House, or harm the cause of communism that has become the agenda of the Democrat Party.

A trustworthy Fox News, or any other source that might bring truth, will soon be a thing of the past. You will have to rely on your innards, your experience, your upbringing, your associations, to discern the truth; the media are wholly-bought-and-paid-for lackeys of the Public Class, kneeling down and doing their bidding (and administering frequent Lewinskys, no doubt) like good little slaves.

As long as they get (over)paid and can live high above their abilities to produce something useful for the nation, they don’t care. They are no more trustworthy than their Masters.

Anonymous

This is why they are testing the grounds. All of your main media are already in bed with democrats and this will be aimed specifically at the true media, mainly the right who abide strictly to the constitution. I bet anything that if monitors are put in place, they will go only to right wing supporting media, Glenn Beck will be on top of the list.

Guardian

They can’t do that to Beck – he is not a news station, he is a private subscription entity. They also can’t do it to his internet program either.

melissa

Oh but they’ll try! you watch!

Billy Beefcaked

ALL HAIL KING BARACK the 1st!

Anonymous

Do not make Obama think that people call him BARACK the 1st or he’ll believe he is the king. Other names would fit him much better.

Bonnie Somer

WE CAN HERE IS Y B/C WE THE PEOPLE R GNG 2 B IN DC ON MAY 16TH THE TYRANNY ENDS IN MAY

KING BARACK WHEN THE DEVIL GIVES SLEIGH RIDES IN HELL

Anonymous

Good, patriotic Americans need to just start standing up and saying no. No, you can’t come into my place of business, my home, onto my land, in my car without a search warrant, detailing exactly where you want to look and exactly what you are looking for period. No “fishing expeditions” and trashing of peoples’ properties and lives. Let them start the fight first, then shed the light of day on them so we can chase these intrusive thugs back under their rocks. Time to rally the troops.

Anonymous

Are any of us surprised at what is happening in Ukraine? People are just fed up with the corruption and bureaucracy and the same will be coming to America.

Mike Nelson

Best post on this forum.

Lucas Forde

We have a king, must be impeached or we are done as a nation.

Anonymous

Sorry Lucas, this “Anti-Christ”(Marxist) ruling us is the exact “Anti-Christ”(Marxist) specified in Revelation 11! However, he also in the very end also will serve as our “scapegoat!” Yes, we already got our Jewish, not either a Roman or Greek, Savior to save us, but we also require a “scapegoat,” also as written, and BHO will be just that! Because warning: Rome through RCC Church philosopher Petrus Galvatinus successfully has deceived the whole world about our true SAVIOR, clearly written to be the SAME yesterday, TODAY and FOREVER, and Rome had NO RIGHT to change that, as Revelation’s two-witnesses also will soon reveal to us & Judah one of these soon coming Feast of Trumpets(War)! Also as written, our Jewish HEBREW-INSPIRED SAVIOR & HIGH PRIEST DOES nothing without FIRST warning his people. WATCH…

Lynelle Hullsiek

You should read The Harbinger by Cahn.

Zachary McClish

Sorry Victor, The Church is very communistic in its nature. In the book of Acts remember when the Holy Ghost was first given, Every soul involved gave all possessions to the group, an everyone took what they needed from that. In fact the Ghost made an example out of the couple that held back an asset(a parcel of land),terminated their lives,if memory serves. also Jesus was a Roman, Joseph(Mary’s husband) paid taxes ,an the family was in the census, back before the second temple was destroyed AD70 you could be a Roman an a Hebrew (as Paul was).

Anonymous

Nope, sorry, wrong answer!
The Difference between what you’re describing (and what we’re seeing more every day in our land) and what the Church actually did is subtle, but VERY important. The church WILLINGLY DONATED what they had. They saw fellow brothers and sisters in Christ suffering, and they were sitting on material possessions…this didn’t make sense to them, so they would sell something and donate the money. This was out of the goodness of their hearts and appreciation for the blessings of God, NOT the result or tyrannical govt. or policies.

The reason Annanias and Saphira were judged was because they were lieing to the leaders, the church, and the Holy Spirit. They had sold a piece of property and had every right to keep it (Peter even specifically said so)…they donated some, but said they donated all–for public acclaim. This tore at the very fabric of what God was doing in this new community, and therefore they were judged.

That is not ‘communistic’, that is generous and kind, by their own will…BIG difference.

Anonymous

6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

This section of scripture makes it abundantly clear that Communism is the exact opposite of a biblical imperative. Jesus being a Roman citizen doesn’t mean that he didn’t have Jewish blood. He was from the bloodline of Abraham, period. Like, KzooPreacher said, the subtle difference is that Liberals feel the need to vote for rich people to give up their money through compulsion, not voluntarily. Taxing the top 1% disproportionately is idiotic at best. Instead of philanthropic donations to charity, the government steps in as a middle man and wastes most of the money. You are completely dead wrong, the Bible promotes hard work and sacrifice, something Communists have zero concept of.

Mike Nelson

You don’t impeach a king… you depose him. And then his family goes the way of the Romanovs.

Words have meanings, and actions have results… I advise that we be very careful what we ask in this regard.

Jenn

he should have never even been voted in…too many people now say that if you want to impeach Satan…ooops…i mean Obama then it will be a racist issue and not because he is ruining the country not to mention the world…

The Blue Tail Gadfly

Re: “I think there’s enough of us now who are awake that we may not be able to save the country. But we will save the Constitution.”

EXCUSE ME?

How does Glenn plan on saving the Constitution when he is calling for a Constitutional Convention to fundamentally alter it?

George Orwell coined a phrase which seems to describe that:

Doublethink, the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.

Anonymous

That’s a polite way of saying “insanity”. Either that, or “imbecile”.

I think what Glenn wants is a restoration, not an alteration.

The Supreme Court, Congress, and the Executive need to be re-programmed to do the duties assigned to them by the constitution, and only those duties, and no one gets to re-interpret government. The Supreme Court especially needs lessons in humility, and the number of agencies needs to be drastically reduced (about 95%).

Restoration means that the country would in fact be transformed from its present near-socialist state into something resembling the representative republic it once was. This would of course mean that most if not all of the current corruptocrats in DC would be either exiled or severely punished, which they are naturally against.

The Blue Tail Gadfly

So how do you restore something by adding to it?

Also, how exactly does a Con Con fix any of our problems when it is the Citizenry who are to blame for electing corrupt politicians on both sides of the aisle?

Anonymous

The citizens can’t vote for people not on the ballot. Who puts the candidates on the ballot?

And I did not say anything about “adding”, did I. Maybe Glenn did.

The Blue Tail Gadfly

Okay, so who does put the candidates on the ballot and how does an Article V Convention change this?

If they are not going to be adding to the Constitution, then what is the purpose of having a Convention then?

A restoration would be to return the Constitution to it’s original form. Adding Amendments would be considered customizing. They are not going to get their greasy paws under the hood of this classic Constitution if I have anything to say about.

The arguments they use for promoting this dangerous movement are completely fallacious. They are telling the American People that 2+2=5.

Either Glenn Beck is not very bright when it comes to politics and has surrounded himself with the wrong people, or he is lying when advocating for an Article V Convention. Either way it’s not good. Considering Glenn continues to promote proven charlatans like David Barton, proves he surrounds himself with the wrong people and isn’t being honest with his audience.

Perhaps it’s not doublethink but doublespeak?

doublespeak: language that can be understood in more than one way and that is used to trick or deceive people

~BTG

Mike Barnes

You are right. Levin is also opening a Pandora’s box. I guarantee if the left gets a Constitutional convention, the 2nd Amendment will be gone and most of our other freedoms with it. It will not be a document limiting government but one giving it full total power.

Anonymous

That was always the problem with con con. That’s why it’s never been tried yet. It’s dangerous.

Imagine if today’s democrats, infected as they are with the mad ravings of the lunatic Marx, were present during the Revolutionary War and the conventions that led to the adoption of the Constitution.

We’d be living in the USSR-West. That idea in itself makes one wonder if it can be done without first eliminating the communists among us.

The Blue Tail Gadfly

Hi Mike,

All this issue does is serves to divide republicans even further. I will not vote for any politician who supports this madness and will actively work to make sure they are defeated. This is pure radicalism and not the Founding Fathers kind.

If anyone wants to see a good possibility of what our Constitution would look like if the leftists were allowed to rewrite it, take a look at Ecuador’s constitution. Their Preamble pretty much says it all.

Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is
because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature….

If the next centennial does not find us a great nation … it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the
nation do not aid in controlling the political forces. ~James Garfield 1877

ThorsteinVeblen2012

When Comcast and Time Warner combine they will dictate what much of America will see on television.

The fact that it will get approved without any anti-trust scrutiny is witness to how corporate America and a small cabal of billionaires control this country.

It isn’t a matter of one corrupt political party or the other, they are both owned by factions of the same corrupt group.

Anonymous

Time fo a wholesale change in WASHINGTON, period.

ThorsteinVeblen2012

Explain wholesale?

If it is just change for the sake of change in the long run you and I are only going to get screwed even worse.

Billionaires have doubled their wealth since 2008. They control the political system and they make the rules. The rules say they win and they have, hugely.

Wholesale change means reshuffling the deck. But the same people own the cards and they will have picked out the best cards for themselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72EnfFysPFE Connor

I wonder what score would be when we under Bush? I bet it is lower than it is for now because you never seen Bush jailing reporters investigating them tapping their phones but yet he was a dictator to the left and Obama is just a freedom loving give everyone a flower hippy. We need to kick these people put before they turn us into a police state where you cannot so much as sneeze without the government’s approval.

Anonymous

Does Russia or China come to mind?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72EnfFysPFE Connor

Soon tho if we are not careful we will be like North Korea.

Pat Havens

I just sent this to the FCC after listening to Glen Beck

I am formally lodging a complaint against the FCC you should not be
putting monitors in the news rooms in this country you say it is to see
how news stories are picked and to make sure that the stories are in the
best interest of the people. This is a lie a flat out lie this is
fascism, this is the beginning of a police state and the take over of
the media to use as a propaganda machine for the federal government this
is against the the 1st amendment of our constitution and believe me I
will be putting this communication on twitter and facebook and my email I
will be sending it to everyone I know.We the People must stand against
this travesty!
So please tweet this, facebook it send it to your
email list and lodge a complaint with the FCC this is hideous we cannot
sit quietly while our country becomes something horrific. Call your
senators and congressmen speak up people we cannot remain silent!
I also posted on facebook and am calling and emailing my senators and congressmen.

Michael Rice

Cartoon sex, humping teddy bears, it’s all good. Just don’t let us find out we don’t agree with your story selection process.

Michael Rice

The train leaves for the Revolution in an hour, anyone else want in. God, now I will be audited..

Cathy Quessenberry

Right there with ya.

Anonymous

No, no audits, you will be considered a terrorist, make sure you place a big piece of furniture behind you front door and sleep with clothes on. lol

wasabibites

Notice Putin using Russian audits to silence his political detractors just like B O,Shumer,cummings,Franken onTrue the Vote and Tea Party and their families.

The Truth

I want to Biiioch slap every person that voted for that Rodeo Clown !

melissa

DITTO!!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Marks/1266358046 Paul Marks

No television or radio station should allow FCC people on its property – it is not for government to decide what the “critical information needs” of “the community” are.

BAB

this just makes me sick!

ANTHONY CLIFFORD

The FCC shouldn’t exist in the first place. It’s existence is an affront to the first amendment to the Constitution. The original justification doesn’t even hold true anymore. The government justified the FCC by saying that there were only a small amount of radio stations, so people couldn’t help but hear things that were offensive to them (doesn’t matter to the constitution). There were plenty of newspapers and other forms of printed media, so the FCC had no such justification over printed mediums. Today we have more radio and television channels than local newspapers. Hence, they’re no longer able to justify the FCC’s monitoring or censorship. Now they are trying to come up with another excuse to continue to censor people’s speech. We as a nation should band together to end this abomination.

Anonymous

You mean “Obamanation?”

Don Fass

Glenn has already apologized for ‘dividing the country’ though he gives himself far more credit than he deserves. But he KEEPS doing it. And if the President was such a dictator, where is the RESULT with everything from immigration to economic inequality? Why do you emotionally illiterate people keep on carrying on? Are you bored or just not taking responsibility?

And those of you who claim to follow Jesus, why do you not walk in love, in careing for your neighbor, in following The Golden Rule? Or have you never really read the Bible? (Clue: The Blaze and Faux News is not the New Testament or Old Testament)

Guardian

“And if the President was such a dictator, where is the RESULT….” He is working on it. This is just another first step from a different direction.

Anonymous

Yes this is an abuse of their power, but it does not mean they should be abolished. Your reasoning behind why they were founded is flawed. Besides the content aspects of broadcasts, they are responsible for keeping the broadcast frequencies orderly. Otherwise stations would be interfering with each other or other transmission sources such as cell phones or emergency responder radios. This is the thing the FCC is good for. Think of it as the traffic cop of the EM spectrum. Unfortunately we currently have a bad cop who thinks their badge let’s them get away with anything.

Herbert Shallcross

Actually, the FCC came into existence because two radio stations on the same frequency operating too close to teach other interfere with each other’s signal. Because they were regulating the radio spectrum, they used that as an excuse to regulate content, as regards things like decency. Later they tried to regulate “fairness”, a blatant infringement on political speech. That has been rejected by the courts, but the people who want it want to find a way to do it again. There is much less justification for government to regulate the press, the internet or cable television, which is why some content on cable is raunchier than broadcast TV.

Watch it

This is the Fairness Doctrine on steroids. The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the FCC, introduced in 1949, that required the holders of broadcast licenses to both present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was, in the Commission’s view, honest, equitable and balanced. The FCC decided to eliminate the Doctrine in 1987, and in August 2011 the FCC formally removed the language that implemented the Doctrine.

In 1969 the SCOTUS upheld the FCC’s general right to enforce the Fairness Doctrine where channels were limited. The courts reasoned that the scarcity of the broadcast spectrum, which limited the opportunity for access to the airwaves, created a need for the Doctrine. However, the proliferation of cable television, multiple channels within cable, public-access channels, and the Internet have eroded this argument, since there are plenty of places for ordinary individuals to make public comments on controversial issues at low or no cost at all.

The F.C.C. has no jurisdiction over what content an individual
broadcasts or posts on the Internet, assuming it is legal. The
Telecommunications Act of 1996 made no provision permitting the FCC to interfere with Internet broadcasts.

Mike Barnes

Ironically, the MSM, which is all but an arm of the DNC, is hiding this story too, as they did with the IRS, etc. But Obama’s thugs want total control–political officers in every newsroom. You hear Brokaw, or Rather, Democrat aparatchiks speaking out? Not a word. If this were Bush, the ACLU would be there in court with the center for law & justice. Crickets chirp.

Fat Lip

One step closer to Moscow wait until Oblunder really digs his heels in and becomes much more flexible .
Wonder when we get to pick Putin for our leader MY bad he already is .

Anonymous

Maybe the loop that goes from the NSA to the White House was taking too long to get to the FCC! This will just make government more efficient. You don’t really believe what you hear on the news anyway do you?
Sarcam aside, it is only going to get worse folks. There a day coming that no-one will be able to buy or sell unless they have been branded in the right hand or forehead.
And it will come to pass in those days that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Do it now!!!

Johnathan Read

Time for a new name for the FCC.

How about Pravda ?

Merry

One MORE thing to impeach the taking piece of crap in our White House for! I heard a story that someone is prepping a list of items to impeach him. Hope somehow, it happens for real this time. This guy (?) is dangerous, and needs to be removed fom office asap – legally if at all possible. If not…?

Thom Thomsen

One thing to remember….the FCC is the only body not required to have a warrant to enter your property. They can go anywhere and enter anything they wish in pursuit of their mandate.

Watch it

The FCC claims that its powers to inspect radio equipment in order to
catch pirate radio stations means that it can also enter and search any
home that has a WiFi access point, a cordless phone, a baby monitor, or a
cell phone. “Anything using RF energy — we have the right to inspect it to make sure it is not causing interference,” says FCC spokesman David Fiske.
The FCC claims it derives its warrantless search power from the Communications Act of 1934, though the constitutionality of the claim has gone untested in the courts.http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/05/fcc-raid/

Herbert Shallcross

Freedom of speech and the press is intended specifically intended to protect dissemination of ideas the government is not comfortable with. Short of advocating violent overthrow of the government, or mass murder of citizens, content, and how it is chosen is none of government’s business.

Anonymous

Is there anything the citizens can do to prevent this type of assault on the so (so) free press We are #46 on the schedule of 180 countries… I wished I knew who is number 1 and who is number 180.

Anonymous

Probably China is 180 on the list!

Anonymous

This is what I was afraid off all along. The change is upon us. Communist East Germany’s propaganda machine or the time of Nazi Germany’s takeover of the
air waves is repeating itself. And three more years left to destroy the rest of our freedoms.

Anonymous

Good heavens but sometimes the lot of you are insufferable. The FCC monitoring newsrooms to see what stories make daily coverage and how best to serve audiences are something you guys don’t like? Well, excuse me for breathing but the news stations all around the country including The Blaze do the exact same thing. Every station has meetings to decide what will get the best ratings and the most amount of people to tune in. Radio stations send out Arbitron diaries and TV stations spend Neilson diaries to people asking them to write down everything they watch. Some rating companies do random telephone surveys. And you guys are ticked that the FCC wants to do the same thing to newspeople? Oh, and they monitor things anyway for media outlet licencing purposes. So maybe this administration wants to know things about the people they are trying to govern so they can be more relevant to the public. Which is a darn sight more responsible than any other administrative ever did. It’s a “How can we help you” deal. The same way we should be asking them. So we both can do the job of making America work better and more responsibly

Anonymous

Dream on ….. when the government is involved it is never to the benefit of the people, there is always an after thought, mainly how best to control the people! Wake up!!!

Karen

You can’t see the difference between a news room having a meeting to discuss what it will air, and THE GOVERNMENT coming in to monitor what it airs?

Anonymous

I’m TRYING to say AMEN to “Watch it’s” comment, to Karen’s comment & to pfiffi43’s comment, but this silly thing doesn’t want me to say “AMEN” but once, I guess! More control of free speech!!! I couldn’t agree more with all 3 comments to the naive or O’Dumbo worshipper “fawnday”!

Anonymous

Well, you can’t deny that my comments make your life interesting.

Anonymous

You’re flattering yourself. The fact that people who think the way you do are in power makes people’s lives MISERABLE!

Anonymous

Oh I don’t know. Because of government intervention I’m doing pretty well at being a success.

Anonymous

LOL how?

Anonymous

Well, just today I put a cheque to the electric company in a mail box and then went to the bank. So that’s three government things right there.

Anonymous

I’m sure you think you’ve posted something eloquent here. I’m never going to post to you again. You are pathetic.

Anonymous

Well, you DID ask. I forgot there were sidewalks owned by our taxes to the government. But that’s not necessarily a successful thing unless a person goes places to be successful at other stuff. I’m just showing you that it’s nearly impossible to live without doing anything the government takes part in. So that means the “How can I help you” deal runs both ways no matter what.

Anonymous

Nope. The public airwaves are just that, public. It’s just like my not understanding all the fuss Conservatives have about privacy issues. As far as I’m concerned anyone who posts anything on websites and blogs are also part of those public airwaves. I personally treat the FCC and the NSA and any other government agency who wants information like they are just another “follow”. No difference. Mi casa su casa.

Watch it

LMAO …. you are joking.. right? You can’t be that much of a Pollyanna ….. or maybe you’re a fogger for the left, whose agenda it is to control speech and disseminate their radical ideology and propaganda unopposed.

Anonymous

AMEN!

Anonymous

Sorry, no joke and no left leaning person here. Not unless you think alike the groups in America should have the same sorts of rights as one another radical ideology and propaganda. Actually, if you watch local news it’s very doubtful you’ll see much of a difference. Maybe less “if it bleeds it leads” stories but that’s about it

Watch it

What you don’t see as not different are all the left leaning stations who show the same bias. From your posts here, it is obvious that you lean left – careful you don’t fall over.

Anonymous

Never said that left leaning stations were any better than the ones on the right. All of them are in the business for the same reason. To make money for their shareholders and ratings for popularity(and yes, show business is a business. That includes news)

Watch it

You missed the whole point. It is the ultimate goal of the left (particularly this administration) to censure the free speech and freedom of the press of anyone that is critical of the left who could expose their corruption, cronyism and socialist agenda.There is a history of proof of their attempts. Example – do you remember in 2009 when the WH tried to ban Fox from the WH briefing room?

Anonymous

Yeah,I probably did miss your point, I don’t think one side is different from the other. President Bush did the same with MSNBC. They all do that, the side that happens to be opposite the one any administration is on tend to have problems. It’s all a popularity contest. Politics and media both. You say the left doesn’t want to show corruption and stuff. Well, here in Chicago(which Conservatives call a left-wing city)corrupt officials always make the news especially when they do things that eventually gets them arrested.

Watch it

President Bush did no such thing He never tried to shut down MSNBC’s freedom of the press or censure them. The only censorship going on were the times that MSNBC & NBC censored Bush by altering the transcripts of things he said…… and they continue with this altering the truth to this day.

Be specific about what Republican administration tried to censure the leftist broadcasting companies – what was the incident.

Anonymous

Beats me what the incident was. I just remember hearing from reporters who couldn’t get into the White House from the ‘side of the aisle” the Bush administration wasn’t on that they were being ignored. While the people who were agreeing with the way things were being done got all kinds of perks and exclusive stories, Just the same way the liberal press is these days and the other side being shut out. Every president does it. President Obama tried to treat everyone fairly including the Republican congressperson but everyone is too entrenched in their own side to want to be treated fairly. And President Obama seems to be hated every minute of every day by the Conservative media so eventually he kinda gave up being fair. Which he can’t be blamed for. He has to keep America running no matter what. Would YOU still be fair to anyone who constantly picked on you? Bet not.

Watch it

Don’t make a blanket dishonest statement that you can’t back up. Bush never attempted to censor MSNBC.

Ignoring someone is a far cry from censoring them. And saying every president does it is not true. Quick example – Reagan who treated all with respect and ignored no one.

Obama never was fair, and he sure can be blamed for his behavior towards the Republicans. He claims he will listen to anyone who has ideas about (whatever the issue is at the time) yet when he is approached, he clamps down and refuses to even consider the suggestion. It’s ‘my way or the highway’ with BO.

He is not respected by the right because he is a liar and is trying to install his own socialist agenda by circumventing Congress when they don’t come out on his side. That is unconstitutional and conservatives for the most part won’t stand for it. He deserves any bad press he gets as he earned it through his actions. It won’t happen from the MSM like MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBS because they are all big Obama supporters. In case you haven’t noticed, most TV is biased left, not right.

Anonymous

You said, and I quote, “It’s a ‘How can we help you’ deal.” The simple answer to that is, the government CAN’T help. Nobody wants them around the newsrooms. The FCC can make a case that they want to monitor what ACTUALLY makes it onto the airwaves. But trying to monitor HOW it gets on the air? Unacceptable, completely. It may be okay to you, but please move to another country, you and everybody who thinks like you. Nobody else wants to live this way.

Anonymous

The how of stories making it to the airwaves means how best to serve the niche audience that tunes in. You already know about niche audiences from seeing how MSNBC and Fox News works. Besides playing stories that only appeal to a stations core audience the stories that every station reports are slanted one way or the other. Ethnic stations play to their audiences, black stations play to their audience, religious stations play to their own audience, any other station that has a news department does that. That’s why the government wants to monitor local news instead of the national cable stations, so they can serve those niche groups in a meaningful way instead of having those groups be hit or miss.

Anonymous

Everything you said before your last sentence is true, all of it. Yes these stations slant themselves however the hell they want to. The government has no right, none, to step in and do anything at all. Why can’t you see that? The government WANTS to do this, but they should actually just stop trying, if they really care about the first amendment. I can’t stand Bill Maher as an example, I hate everything that comes out of his mouth, but he has a right to say all of it!

Anonymous

No actually, stations are responsible to their shareholders but are supposed to be responsible to the needs of the community. What gets the best ratings sells right now. Also when it comes to radio, stations have financial concerns. Why hire a local host when a nationally syndicated program like Glenn’s will save money. No need to hire a whole staff when one person can just flip a switch and then leave what the community who listens to the station thinks doesn’t matter. Otherwise radio station formats wouldn’t change and syndicated talk hosts like Glenn wouldn’t be on all the stations they are. Same for local television. Talk about freedom of the press, you can’t get less free than every station in America playing the same program from the same handful of hosts with the same viewpoint. What the FCC sounds like it’s trying to do is not only see that the various communities get represented but also bringing the stations back to the people who lost that right because of deregulation back in the 80s.

Anonymous

It’s amazing to watch you keep going. Stations aren’t responsible to anybody. We aren’t responsible to the government in any way whatsoever. They are responsible to us, that’s what makes us America. What are you talking about “needs of the community?” Glenn runs a private company. People who subscribe to the Blaze give him money because they want to. If they don’t like what he says, they withhold their money from him. It’s that simple. He’s not responsible to anybody. There is no legal or moral obligation involved here. The FCC is attempting to control programming and they have no right to do so. You can tell me until you’re blue in the face that you think they SHOULD have that right, but it just makes you a shill.

Anonymous

Glenn’s radio program is on lots more stations than just his own. Radio stations all over the country pick up his morning program on their network feeds. Especially the stations owned by Premiere Networks. Same with all syndicated shows, picked up by network feed. The only shows that are local most of he time are the ones during morning and afternoon drive. And you can ask Glenn about how stations have become beholden to shareholders if you don’t believe me.

Anonymous

It can’t hurt anybody but Fox, rest of the networks already 100% support Marxism, which scripture clearly states in UNFORGIVABLE both in this world and the next…. Here’s the killer men: Obama, being the “right” Anti-Christ(Marxist) of Revelation 11 this time, will also become the scriptural “scapegoat” for all “we the people” & Jews first! No folks, I’m not making this stuff up! Watch..

http://www.absoluteintensity.com dennis reilly

and they alllllllll think they are soooooooo great, the media and the politicians

Anonymous

Why are we shocked? Obama is a dictator.Of course he’s going to intrude on our privacy and God knows what else. This is what dictators do. He wants to take away our freedom at all costs. But this isn’t what bothers me. What bothers me the most is why he is still in the White House. His ass should have been gone a long time ago. I love how the Democraps are just starting to realize what a loser he is.

Karen

What I want to know is WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Anonymous

Be there May 16 2014 in Washington D.C.

Don Fass

Why is GLENN always grumbling about the First Amendment or the FCC? He’s already made his millions and stuffed his pockets (as he admitted by ‘pulling the country apart).

Watch it

You really don’t get what this is about.

Anonymous

this is all about control…of fox!!!

Anonymous

How to create a social state
There are 8 levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to
create a social state. The first is the most important.

1) Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.

2) Poverty – Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are
easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for
them to live.

3) Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to
increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.

4) Gun Control – Remove the ability to defend themselves from the Government.
That way you are able to create a police state.

5) Welfare – Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and
Income).

6) Education – Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of
what children learn in school.

7) Religion – Remove the belief in the God from the Government and schools.

8) Class Warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will
cause more discontent and it will be easier to take (Tax) the wealthy with the
support of the poor.

Does any of this sound like what is happening to the United States? Immigration as Obama wants it, as well as the FOOLS of each party, are providing the frosting on the Socialistic cake! Each state has the ability to provide the welfare numbers this action will cost. “We the people”…… yet no one addresses that item.

desertrose21359 .

Most Scandinavian live as system of socialist, they are more happy, healthy, and no one scare of zionist,or JPMorgan, and wall street, senior citizen lose every thing by Madoff Ponzi game or Bush brother steal and corruption of savaging and loan, or Bush and Cheney lie to people and later sorry it was mistake, and billions dollar is gun. and no punishment.

Anonymous

Is the apathy, the ignorance of history and the ‘give me’ attitude of many citizens, that helps the FCC in particular and the government in general to grab so much power.

The Obama administration isn’t interested just in understanding the process through which stories are selected, station priorities, content production, etc. It is a ruse – the first step to controlling the content. Censorship.

Obama appointed the 5 FCC commissioners. Does anyone believe there would be a ‘politically impartial’ FCC deciding what can be aired – after seeing what the ‘politically impartial’ (choke) IRS did to conservative 501c organizations…. ?

If this comes to pass, watch what happens with MSNBC. They would keep the FCC busy full time as all they present is twistified propaganda from Schultz, Maddow, Matthews, Harris-Perry, Toure, Wagner, etal. Something tells me they will get a pass.

This is to Glenn,
I don’t understand WHY you’re so shocked about this. YOU are the one who told us this was going to happen when you were on Fox about Mark Lloyd, FCC Diversity Czar, who LOVED Hugo Chavez for doing the same thing. I could get my notes out that I took every single day that you were on & find the exact day you mentioned this!

I also made a list today of the unconstitutional, tyrannical things that either happened or I heard about today. It’s not just something every now & then but several things daily that chip away at our liberty & our Republic, which is no longer a Republic at all!

We’ve sat here like good little boys & girls watching our nation being deliberately turned into a Third World crap hole, knowing from history how it ends but we’re still letting history repeat itself! We should’ve put a halt to this insanity 6 years ago, but we didn’t. We’ve let a few crazy, radical Communists destroy our Republic & I have a difficult time imagining it turning around. Now, I fear that if we even march on Washington to protest the unconstitutional idiocy, this administration will make Tiananmen Square look like a junior high dance!

RandyLeanear

~Karl Marx and Frederic Engels wrote in The Communist Manifesto (Das Kommunistische Manifest), originally titled Manifesto of the Communist Party: Socialism is not a form of government but a “state”. A policed and engineered state in which the nation takes on in “transition” from a Capitolist to a Communist society.

RandyLeanear

~America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves~ Abraham Lincoln

Anonymous

I think that the atrocities that we fear are already in operation. I also think that they can be reversed. Question is: will we properly deal with this inconvenient truth? It will definitely take a large amount of testicular fortitude. Sadly, much of the press hasn’t any.

Thomas Aquinas

Since we can’t predict civilization a century from now, it is incorrect to think that progress simply depends upon applying today’s ideas.

tonyc

Voluntarally allowing a government authority in your house, is
submitting to it’s often unconstitutional authority. The FCC is a regulating arm
of the government with broad reaching authority, including revoking
licenses. This is much like the IRS’s ‘Voluntary Compliance’. Another shredding of
our constitution. Bill of Rights, being obliterated.

Anonymous

Oh Lady Liberty is crying out, but we sit and do nothing to stop what is the worst thing that has come together in America to destroy freedom as we know it, and yes this is the Communist way of thinking, to control freedom of speech, to only let you see one side of the story as most networks do now, to silence anyone who may think against this Government agenda, to shut down those who don’t comply is again the Communist way of doing things. To be 46 in Nations to aloud for freedom of press, should scare the hell out of every man and women in America. The day is coming when if you speak out against your Government you will be silence and never to be heard from again. Wake up America.

Janet

Can you say: Pravda?

Robert Torbett

Glenn, I’ve been in the communications industry my entire working
life. It started in the navy and continued until my retirement. I spent
20 years with Motorola Communications, starting as a bench tech working
to production Foreman before moving into Engineering, lastly in Program
Management. I am also an Amateur Radio Operator “Call is WB5OB” and
have been since the mid 60s. I believe you more than likely know Mr.
Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH. He is the former “Amateur Radio Enforcement
Chief” for the FCC. I admire the man and his principals. I had a
problem with another Ham a couple of years ago shortly after Riley left
the FCC. The woman “Twit” who took his place couldn’t be bothered with
enforcing the regulations or even providing us with a Monitor to verify
my claims. By the way, I sent her over 1 hour of audio regarding this
problem. This is to me the state the FCC has fallen to. I’ve worked
with them all my working life obtaining licenses for commercial stations
and aiding in investigations of problems both regarding interference
with communications, both Amateur and commercial “Law Enforcement”
systems. I hate to say it this way, but since Colin Powell’s son took
over as “Chair” of the FCC, it has gone down hill and is just another
pawn in the corrupt Washington political Machine we have today. I can
fully believe what is happening as you say about the “Station Monitors”
being sent from the FCC. This needs to be stopped somehow and stopped
right now. I have been involved with many wonderful broadcasters over
the years, both in studio and out. I am appalled by this “Political
Action” being brought to the broadcast industry. I will do everything
within my ability to write to everyone I know to get this stopped. What
good it will do, I don’t know. But if enough of us get together and
expose this for what it is, perhaps we can stop it in it’s tracks.

Respectfully,Robert Torbett

Snorri

So to preserve the 1st amendment Freedom of the Press, the FCC and Obama administration have to be taken to SCOTUS? I wonder if the FCC monitors will have steel rim glasses, black double breasted suits and overly shinned shoes per the Nazi model, or perhaps a seedy suit stained with borsch, and squeaky ill fitting shoes per the Russian model. Or just maybe Obama’s thugs will set a new clothing standard for secret police, sneakers, jeans and a laptop connected directly to the DHS detention centers.

Anonymous

To not battle this regime is to not being an American.

MellowCat

The “ag-gag” laws being passed in states are also blatant unConstitutional attempts to silence whistleblowers, and criminalize them. They even sieze the video evidence from the undercover investigators so they can’t publish their findings in the media. It is corporate protectionism and would make any Nazi proud. Idaho and Arizona are the latest states to shove ag-gag through as we speak. This is mostly a big Ag Republican power grab, so if you think those slime bags are any better than the liberals, you would be wrong. It makes my blood run cold.

Anonymous

The gag order is use mostly now to help judges to hide their bias and slanting the outcome in their court cases and hearings if favor of their pal not for true justice !!

Phillip Swindall

Glenn, I used to work in a local radio station in Gadsden, Alabama as a News Director. The FCC Monitors are already installed in radio stations across the USA. They are the new EAS monitors. They were required by FCC regulations which became effective in 2011. Every single Emergency Alert System unit in each and every FCC Licensed Radio Station has an internet connection which allows the FCC to listen into each and every radio station’s broadcast.

Of course, there are benefits to the internet connection – remote control and connection (since most stations are now run by national and international conglomerates with no or extremely limited staff on hand). However, the equipment allows confirmation that EAS alerts are actually broadcast… if that’s true, then the agency confirming said emergency alerts are broadcast ALSO have the ability to monitor everything else the radio stations broadcast.

That being said, I’m sure TV stations are being monitored as well. The NEW part of this story is that now, the FCC was trying to “pick the brains” of LOCAL news directors, producers, writers, reporters and cameramen to figure out what process the news team goes about to determine what is and is not news. THIS is the beginning of ENFORCED propaganda by our government. And it is NOT just a Democrat or Republican issue…. after all, Republicans pushed the Patriot Act down our throats in a moment of American weakness.

Anonymous

I wouldn’t put it pass obama progressive police state government to have a listing device in the newer models EAS systems not only to hear what broadcast ,but all conversations in the news studio with these EAS system !!! We have spying devices in our computers,phones ,TV ,cars anything with electronic components so why not have a spying device feature in electronic devices in newsrooms !! You better have a safe room in your studio with no electronic at all and no carry in any cell phones too so you can exercise your freedom of speech and have your privacy intact !!

Anonymous

I say watch out for obama FCC deception to get their foot in door, first they try to get a spy in new media room ,which is blatant so we focus on that we stop that as long we settle for other aspects that are not so intrusive so government will get their foot in door !!! If you give this slippery progressive government a inch it will in a very short time period grow into mile with spies and government will dictates what story to report and how !!! I say don’t give them nothing not even a inch protect our freedom of speech and freedom of the press !!!!!!!! Government have no business in our newsroom or studying them on how they operate and how they make decision on the news !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This just another deceptive over reach so in a compromise obama will get something his foot in door it don’t sound so bad to his over reach!!, That obama use this tactic many times ,when he should get a flat definite no and the door shut fully and no creeping ups slowly to destroy our constitution and our country by obama progressive police state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous

If government have monitors in news rooms ,it will impede newsroom in talking freely about their sources in how reliable the source is if they should use a story or not !! Another thing it will do is to dry up sources of information on the sitting party in control of our government, The government spy might over hear info on the sources, or have access of info on sources while not being watch in the newsroom !! This just another way to silence people getting their word out with the press ,to present true facts on our government because all newsrooms have been compromises for spying by our fascist police state government !!!
Our citizens will be afraid to go to news media on corruption of our government ,that they might be found out and have the threats of government reprisal !!!!!!!!!! Newly re design studio and to build new studio from scratch is to have a electronic free entrance way hallway to greet your sources in privatacy and door off the hallway to your safe room ,your studio with all it electronics most likely be bug !!!!!!!!!!!! Be model after the White House and our embassy in having safe rooms to have secure conversations !!!!!!!! I hope that all newsrooms now will have a set up to protect it secret sources or they won’t come in!!!, I hope Glenn Beck with his studio will take the lead and advertise that his studio has a electronic secure entrance hallway and a door off this to a electronic safe room for his sources will come in and their ID is safe !!!

Tyler Carraway

“Now here’s the good news…”
Glenn? Glenn? GLENN!!!
What’s the good news?!?!?